LENSMANSHIP - OPPORTUNITIES for YOUNG PEOPLE

 

CHRIS showing captured images from his camera to other UN Volunteers. –

Photography in PNG

BY ESTHER KAUGA in MOUNT HAGEN

Photography is one of the many professions that Papua New Guineans do not understand. Basically you never hear a parent proudly tell others that they want their children to grow up and become a photographer.

It’s usually, “My boy is going to become a doctor one day” or “My girl is going to be a lawyer one day”. Parents want their children to be on the frontline instead of behind the scenes like being a photographer.

 When we compare our Western neighbours to us in terms of photography you have the photography greats such as Ansel Adams, the American photographer who is known as the ‘Supreme Master of Landscape Photography’’ for his work in capturing amazing landscape shots and Henri Cartier-Bresson, who is one of the most respected street photographers in the field. He famously coined the term “The Decisive Moment”, which states that if you’re able to see the moment, you likely won’t capture it and, instead, must learn to anticipate social happenings to best capture them.

Photographers today can be easily deemed as solo artists. The difference is that they don’t need a paintbrush and palette to create masterpieces. All they need is a camera and they are good to go.

Hence, let’s shift the focus from these world renowned photographers to one of PNG’s up and coming new photographers Christopher Kageni,

Chris with his camera in front of a UN Vehicle

Chris, 23, is a Media and Graphics Assistant with the United Nations Women, a branch of the United Nations Organisation that advocates for women worldwide.

For Chris, there is only one tool that he needs in order to complement his day at work and that is his Canon camera.

For Chris, who is from a mix parentage of Bougainville and Northern, a normal day at the office involves taking countless pictures and occasionally flying drones for that perfect shot.

Growing up Chris did not know much about photography until he was introduced to it by a friend’s brother who gave him a camera and told him to assist him in taking pictures at a church function.

“To be honest I had no idea of photography or what it was, nor did I have someone around me who could have mentored me or introduced me to the love of photography, to me a photographer was just someone who has a camera and takes good pictures, it was more so an acquired talent”.

“My first ever encounter of photography or I’d rather say handling a camera would be at church when my best friend’s big brother handed us, his Nikon camera to assist him in taking pictures, I instantly fell in love with the camera and at that moment knew photography was my passion and call to pursue”, he said.

Attending De La Salle Secondary School at the time, Kageni recalls his first ever camera and how he managed to learn how to use it properly without a mentor and then progressing his way onto becoming the school’s official photographer.

“The first camera that I bought was back in high school and it was a Canon 1200 and being that I never had anyone to guide me or mentor me I had to really count on self-teaching myself and using every opportunity I got, from going the library at lunch breaks to go through the old National Geographic Magazines to learn the tips and techniques form the professional photographers”.

“My learning platform was at De La Salle, when I use to bring my camera to school and cover the school events. Eventually I was called the “camera man” and the official school photographer”, he said.

Taking photographs at the Sabama Market in Port Moresby as part of his job.

He then went on to do his Business Management Foundation Year with the UPNG School of Business and Public Policy but soon realised that it wasn’t what he wanted to pursue so he left his studies to pursue his newfound love for photography.

“I then realized that it wasn’t what I was aspiring to do in my life as a young person still in search of what I wanted to pursue in life, so I made the toughest decision that I’ve ever made in my life to set my studies aside and pursue a career that although wasn’t in my field of expertise at the time”, he said.

He explained that in growing up in a society like PNG that only has expectations of one to pursue a career to its liking and not giving one the space or opportunity to pursue something of one’s own passion often limits young people in PNG from exploring the many career possibilities in life.

“You should choose whatever interests you and pursue it. Because although it has its risks, the reward is more satisfying”, he said.

His motivation for photography stems also from being a youth advocate with the #Sanap Wantaim Campaign, which is a campaign that is led by the UN Women.

“During my time as an advocate for this campaign, I really got to use my skill and passion for photography to capture stories of people and communities who were affected by current social issues”.

“That also was motivation for me to use my passion not only for my gain but to help tell the stories of people affected by social issues through the eyes of the lens”, he said.

Although being a photographer with UN Women now has had its many advantages for Chris, he still recalls the earlier days when his family questioned his career choice.

“There were definitely moments of challenge and struggle, most evidently was the experience of always getting told by my family that what I was doing was a waste of time and that I should look more at pursuing a real career ofbeing a doctor or an accountant and such”, he said.

But through perseverance and not giving up on his passion for photography, it all paid off and the reward is more than satisfying because now he gets paid to do what he is passionate about.

His encouragement to young photographers in the country is to never be afraid to follow their passion and it takes time, commitment and investment but in the end it will be worth it all.

• This story originally appeared in the Post-Courier.